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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22921564">Soulmate AU but its Palpatine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/clipper782/pseuds/clipper782'>clipper782</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Darth Plagueis - James Luceno</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fantastic Racism, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:55:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22921564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/clipper782/pseuds/clipper782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just Palpatine getting a soul mark and realizing his soulmate isn't human. How unfortunate for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hego Damask | Darth Plagueis/Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Soulmate AU but its Palpatine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He felt it start in the early evening. The telltale itch of a mark burning itself onto the skin of his shoulder. He would have been happy to have kept it hidden away from the rest of his family, who were no more than nuisances at the best of times, but he just couldn't resist the damned itch of it on his shoulder.</p><p>Though maybe it was a bit of a prideful point. As far as he knew, neither of his parents had a soul mark, and they were miserable. It was probably wrong to take pleasure in that but he didn't much care.</p><p>"Are you sure it isn't just allergies?" His mother had to ask when his sister caught him with it. He'd never had a reaction to anything in his life. Besides he could feel it, somehow, he knew what it was, and what it was not.</p><p>"I'll get the medical kit to take a closer look." She didn't need to look. He'd really prefer if she didn't but then again, he'd love to see her face when she realized her least favourite child had what she never would.</p><p>"Sheev's just too dramatic, isn't he?" His youngest brother broke in with. Talking like he wasn't there. Always a fun way to spend the evening. </p><p>But by the time his father thought to pull his robes away from his shoulder to look at the damn thing, it undoubtedly showed the beginnings of a looping cursive writing. If only Sheev could keep a holo recording of their damned faces at that moment, but unfortunately he hadn't thought to record such.</p><p>"Don't touch me, Father." He said simply, shrugging back into his robes and moving away to retire to his own room for the night. And soon enough back to the academy where he wouldn't need to bother with such trivialities.</p><p>But, maybe, one of his classmates would touch him on the shoulder and recite the words that wrote themselves there. He'd really never given much thought to such a relationship. Never anything serious at least. It had never given him any interest but still, it was easy to wonder. It would have to be someone he hadn't met yet, wouldn't it? Maybe someone who wasn't so easily manipulated. Weak. Someone who would actually challenge him, someone he would want to be with for their own sake. He didn't think he knew anyone like that.</p><p>The words which weren't yet words seemed to taunt him as the lights outside faded into darkness. What sort of words would be spoken by a person like that? Soon enough, he would know.</p><p>*</p><p>Morning came, and he immediately found himself wishing it had not. What were the chances the rest of them would accept it if he said he were mistaken? That clearly it must have only been a terrible allergic reaction and anything resembling written words was only the product of their wild imaginations?</p><p>The chances were poor, in fact, his own youngest brother was already at his door demanding to see the words written on his skin.</p><p>"Wasn't it you who said I was only dramatic?" </p><p>"We saw what we saw," added his sister, ever so helpfully, appearing in the hallway behind them.</p><p>It was not to be a good day. Such thoughts were only cemented as his youngest sibling, damn him, announced arriving for breakfast, "Guess what? Sheev's going to marry a Gungan!" Which was patently untrue but did cause quite a stir.</p><p>His father, damn him, <i>damn him</i>, looked caught somewhere between disgust and disappointment as he saw the words written on his eldest son. </p><p>"Each time I think it can't get any worse with you… you always find a way." At least there was that. At least he'd managed to be more of a disappointment, if not a worthier heir.</p><p>"He's not a Gungan." Sheev protested mildly, already quite uncaring about the commotion he'd caused around himself.</p><p>"He? <i>He</i>?" Sheev only smiled. Not truly smiled, no, but when did he ever?</p><p>"I need to be getting back. To the academy."</p><p>"This isn't over." When is it ever? What more was there left to say?</p><p>"It is."</p><p>*</p><p>The words didn't burn any longer, but it certainly felt like they did. <i>Young Human</i>. Perfect cursive, not a gungan, but… not a human either. <i>A moment of your time?</i> What mild-mannered sort of person... No not a <i>person</i>... It really couldn't get any worse.</p><p>Did non-humans even get soul marks? Did it matter? It wasn't as if it was something he'd ever cared about anyway, and the thought of being with some alien was just… unappealing in every way possible. Of course it should be easy to just forget about it and move on, two things he was exceedingly (not) good at doing.</p><p>And he did so well too. When he heard his words he didn't turn around, he didn't even flinch. It didn't last long.</p><p>"Palpatine."</p><p>His name. Why even start out with those damned cursed words, if he already knew his name? Wait, why did he know his name?</p><p>He didn't need to turn back. He didn't need to get involved with Damask, not anymore than he already had. He certainly didn't need to take him out, pull the side of his robes open, trace his own letters on the Muun's skin. <i>How do you know my name</i>? But they were there, and, strangely, perversely, he liked that. </p><p>Why did he like that?</p><p>At least his father would not approve. That was a victory in itself. And even as he knew Damask was using him, he couldn't help the feeling that there was more he would uncover, if he continued on this path. Whether or not he'd like what he found out didn't matter much. Didn't matter at all.</p><p>And when he finally kissed him he could almost think, he really was the worthier heir after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kind of just falls off a bit at the end, mostly because the scene in the book it ends up leading into is... already so good. So it's basically the same but with more kissing. Because soulmate AU.</p><p>I haven't written anything in years.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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